Apparatus for digging holes for posts, &amp;c.



A. SWBNSON.

APPARATUS FOR DIGGING HOLES POR POSTS, dw.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 27, 1911.

Patented June 20, 1911.

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THE Nonms persas co WASHINGTON. nA c.

ALBERT SWENSON, 0F DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

APPARATUS FOR DIGGING HOLES FOR POSTS, 65C.

Application led February 27, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT SwnNsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Duluth, county of St. Louis, and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Digging Holes for Posts, &c., of which the following is a full and clear specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section of my improved implement; and Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

This invention relates to that type of hole diggers which consists of an operating rod carrying a pair of oppositely disposed scooplike blades having their lower ends curved inwardly toward each other, whereby pressure on the rod and rotation of the implement will cause the scoops to enter the earth and cut out a core of earth, which core will rest within the scoops and may be lifted out of the hole and dumped or knocked from between the scoops.

The object of the present improvement is to adapt this type of digger to removing a rock that may be encountered in digging the hole, and also to render the blades easier to clean or scrape when working in sticky earth, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

The letter a designates the operating rod which may be solid or hollow and which is flattened at its lower end at Inclosing the lower end of this rod is a casing c. The scoops or shovels Z are the usual shape and are provided with the usual shanks e which are flattened and bent inwardly so as to eX- tend into the casing and overlap at opposite sides the attened lower end of the operating rod. Extending through the overlapped ends of the shanks and the intermediate part 5 of the operating rod is a horizontal bolt f provided at one end with a nut. This bolt extends also through the side walls of the casing, and by screwing the nut up tightly all the parts will be clamped tightly together against movement. The walls of the casing are vertically slotted at Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1911.

Serial No. 611,091.

7L where the bolt f passes therethrough. The shanks of the scoops are horizontally slotted atc' and through these slots and the adjacent side walls of the casing extend the bolts The rod a. passes through a hole in the top end of the casing so as to hold the casing in an upright posit-ion.

In full lines in Fig. 1 the parts are shown in their usual position, in which position they would operate in the same manner as with the well known implement heretofore in use. In this position the nut g is clamped tightly so as to prevent any pivotal movement of the parts. Then however a rock is encountered which the scoops cannot embrace, the implement is withdrawn from the hole and the nut g is loosened, whereupon the scoops will have a limited pivotal action on the bolts j, the slots 7L permitting the bolt f to move vertically sufliciently to permit this movement of the scoops. The implement is then reinserted in the hole and upon rotating it in the usual way the weight of the implement will cause the scoops to Spread apart, as shown in dotted lines, whereupon the scoops will pass around the rock and thus get a sufficient hold upon it to permit it to be lifted out with the implement. With this device it will be seen also that it will be easier to scrape sticky earth from the scoops as by means of the pivotal arrangement of the scoops they may be spread apart to a. convenient position for removing the stickyA earth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isn

1. An implement of the class set forth, consisting of an operating rod, a pair of scoops having inwardly extending slotted Shanks pivoted to the lower end of said rod, a` vertically slotted casing or support, bolts passing through the casing and through the slots in said Shanks, a clamp boltconnecting the operating rod with the shanks of the scoops and working through the vertical slots in the casing.

2. An implement for the purpose set forth, consisting of a casing or support, a pair of scoops having inwardly extending shanks, atdierent points vertically on the easing means for attaching said Shanks to the casor support. l0 ing or support, provision being made for a In testimony whereof I hereunto atiX my pivotal movement of the scoops inwardly signature in the presence of two witnesses. and outwardly, an operating rod pivotally ALBERT SWENSON. connected to the inner ends of said Shanks, Witnesses:

and means whereby said rod and said Shanks GEO. H. WHITNEY,

are rigidly clamped to the casing or support HARRY W. LANNERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

